Fireworks
by mer2y
Summary: Karey meets a stranger whose gotten in trouble and Merry has mixed feelings about him
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1: Many Meetings  
Karey knew she should've listened to Merry! I'll probably never see him again she thought bitterly to her self, thinking about how this happened. *FLASHBACK*  
It was August. Around midday she was on her way to Madeline's house when she suddenly heard a cart coming up the road toward her at a fast pace. She just kept on walking. The sounds of the cart grew nearer.  
Karey was a hobbit with dark brown hair, greenish brown eyes and a finely chiseled nose with a light scattering of freckles across the bridge, but now more noticeable in the summer.  
"Good afternoon," a deep masculine voice called out, "Could you tell me how to get to Madeline of Hobbiton's hole please?"  
Karey studied the speaker intently before answering. "Of course, I'm on my way there right now."  
"Well then let me give you a ride." "Thanks that would be great!" Karey replied immediately attracted to him. "By the way my name is John of Bree." Karey saw that John had sandy blond hair, blue eyes and was about a head taller than she was. He had freckles scattered across his nose, full lips, and broad shoulders. "So John of Bree, what are you going to see Madeline for any ways?" "Well, my father is doing business with her uncle and he's just getting over a broken leg and he can't travel yet, so I'm coming in his place." "Oh, well what do you do?" "We're traders." "This is it." While they were talking they had arrived at Madeline's hobbit hole. "Hey Maddy!" Karey yelled through one of the windows. It was the kitchen window and Maddy was getting ready for afternoon tea. "You have a visitor." "Oh hey John, Uncle Tom isn't here now, but he's at the shop in town." Maddy replied. "And Aunt Betty is visiting some relatives." "Ok thanks for telling me, I'll get down there right away." John responded. "Have some tea with us, you must be exhausted!" Maddy commanded him sternly. "Well alright I'll stay." Answered John. "Ok that'll be great!" Karey piped up, startling Maddy and John, since they had forgotten her. They sat down at the table and Maddy asked, "So how's your father? When is he coming here?" Madeline inquired immediately when they sat down. "My father's good, but he's letting me control this trading mission. "Wow that's great." Karey piped up again. "Yeah I know! I'm so excited!" John exclaimed. "Hey Karey why don't you show me to the shop." "Well, I guess I will, that is if you don't mind Maddy," Karey replied a little hesitantly. "Oh no of course I don't Karey! You have fun." Maddy encouraged her. "Well come along then, I have much to do. Thanks for the tea Maddy." "Oh no problem. Oh Kay I have something for you. It's in my room. Come with me to get it." "Oh all right," Karey replied resignedly. "Ok look, John has gotten into trouble before, but he'd said he's changed, but I'm not so sure. So just be careful. I saw the way you were looking at him," Madeline said when she and Karey were in her room and John was outside. "I wasn't staring at him. Ok so maybe I was a little," Karey amended when she saw Maddy's disbelieving look. "Ok so what did you want to give me?" "That bit of advice." "Well it's just hard for me to believe that he would do something really bad like you said he did, but I think I'm going to invite him to my party tonight since he's gonna be in town for a while." "Alright that's fine, just warn him about Merry and Pip. Also tell them not to bother him." "Ok I'll see you before dinner time so you can help me set up." "Karey come on we haven't got all day." "Coming." "There you are. So what did she want to give you?" "She just wanted to give me some advice." "Ok so now we're off." When they got to the shop Karey asked, "John, I'm having a party tonight at my house. Maddy is coming over early, but she can come and get you if you'd like to come." "I'd love to. When is it?" "It's around dinnertime. Maddy can either come get you or give you directions. And I'm supposed to warn you about Merry and Pip, you'll meet them soon enough though. "Ok I'll probably get directions from Maddy." "All right, I'll see you later," Karey said and walked off. 


	2. The Party

It was a warm summer evening that night at the party. A warm breeze went through the trees. Karey and Maddy had just put dinner on to cook when there was a knock at the door. Karey pulled it open and in came Merry and Pip.

"You're never late." She exclaimed.

"Not when there's food involved. Say, are you cooking mushrooms?" Pip inquired.

"Come on in Merry, and sit down." Karey smiled up at him, noticing how much taller he was.

"Yup, these are definitely mushrooms! Better make sure they're not poisonous, so I'll volunteer myself to be the one to sacrifice myself!" Pippin declared.

"Oh no you won't, I will." Merry argued.

"No. I will." Pippin cried.

"No way, I am." Roared Merry.

"Not uh." Pip whined.

"Yeah huh!" Merry bleated back.

"Will you two stop acting like three year olds to ten seconds?" Maddy cried, exasperated.

"No," they chorused together and resumed their argument.

There was a knock at the door and still no end in sight to their argument.

"I'll get it," announced Karey.

"Good evening." It was John. He handed Karey wildflowers. "These are for you."

"Thank you. Come in." She buried her nose in the bouquet and inhaled.

"Who's that?" Asked Pip, before John was properly introduced.

"Yeah, I've never seen him 'round here before." Merry sounded wary of the stranger.

"I am John of Bree and here on business for my father." John responded. "You must be Merry and Pip."

"Yes, but how do you know who we are?" Merry replied cautiously before Pip could answer.

"Maddy has told me about you on my previous visits, and both of these lovely ladies," John motioned to Karey and Maddy, "warned me about you."

"I'll get it." While they had been talking a knock had sounded at the door. It turned out to be Sam and Frodo. Karey ushered them inside and introductions were made. After a few moments dinner was ready and they all sat down to eat.

"Now, who gets to see if the mushrooms are poisonous or not?" Pip asked immediately.

"I do." Merry burst out.

"No, I do." Cried Pip.

"No way!" Exclaimed Merry. Finally they stopped when they whispered something to each other and both looked at John with mischievous grins on their faces.

"No way, just because you can't agree on whose going to test the mushrooms doesn't mean you can pick on my guest." Karey said, guessing what they were up to.

"It's ok, I don't mind," John said with a matching mischievous grin.

"No really, you don't have to." Karey said quickly.

"I'll be fine, don't worry." He consoled her. John took a bite of mushrooms and seemed alright, until suddenly he started shaking and fell to the floor.

"John, John, are you alright?" Karey ran around the table to his limp form on the floor. "What did you do to it?" She demanded of Merry and Pip, disbelief and rage in her eyes.

"We didn't do anything," They cried innocently. Suddenly, before Karey could argue any further, John sat up and began moaning like a malicious spirit. Everyone, including Karey started laughing.

"That was not funny," Karey cried, tears running down her cheeks and amusement in her voice.

"Well aren't you going to say sorry for accusing us?" Pip demanded indignantly.

"Yes, I'm sorry Pip, and you too Merry." Karey replied.

"Well you should be." Merry said, hurt in his eyes.

A few minutes later, Maddy went over to her. "Looks like everyone is having fun, that is everyone except Merry."

"I know, I don't know what's gotten into him lately," she replied quietly.

"I know why, I know why." Maddy said in a sing song voice.

"What is it? Tell me!" Karey insisted.

"You'll find out soon enough."

Later, after everyone had socialized for quite a while, everyone had left but Maddy and John, who helped clean up. Once they finished, Karey escorted them out to John's wagon. Before he got up into the wagon, he bent down and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks for dinner Karey, it was wonderful." He told her as he swung up into the seat.

A few months later the weather had turned crisp and the leaves were changing colors. It was almost harvest time and Merry was more sullen than ever. The upcoming winter was causing everyone to only take the necessary walks around town.

He and Karey were taking a stroll on a respite from the coming cold. Suddenly, Merry said, "Karey, I know how you feel about this John guy, but be careful around him. I don't know what he wants to do with you, but I don't think he has your best interests in mind."

"Why can't everyone just leave me alone, I know how to take care of myself." Karey responded.

"I know, but I don't think you know how much we all care about you, especially me."

"Yes, I know," Karey's voice was softer this time as she answered Merry. "I just wish people would trust me to make my own decisions sometimes." With that said, Karey walked off without looking back, but if she had, she would have seen Merry crumple to the ground and put his face in his hands.

Karey was mad, madder than she had ever been before. She was tired of everyone babying her. As she reached her house, she noticed everything was dark. Karey was confused because she knew she had left a fire going and some lanterns out. I guess the lanterns went out, but I didn't think the fire would go out, Karey thought to herself, confused. She went in and was walking into her kitchen, when she spotted a strange man sitting at her table. Karey saw in smile in the dim light coming from the moon through the window. As she was about to ask him what he was doing in her house, Karey felt a sharp pain at the base of her neck and then everything went black.

Groaning, Karey woke up to the swaying of a cart. Blinking in the bright sunlight, she saw the man riding his big, gray horse to the right of the cart. Catching her staring at him, he sent her a malicious grin as he rode closer.

"Where are you taking me?" Karey asked, but she got no answer. After realizing that she wasn't going to get one, she let herself drift off into oblivion.

Hey everyone. . .well cockroachcluster

Thanks for your review! It's greatly appreciated! I'm just happy someone finally reviewed! This chapter is a combination of 3 very short chapters put together because it was just easier and it would progress the story further instead of having 3 short chapters. It made sense to me anyways. Anyways I hope you enjoyed it and a review would be greatly appreciated!

R&R!

Mer2y


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